The Invisibility Cloak
by Captain Atticus
Summary: Harry shows his youngest son the Invisibility Cloak. Oneshot. Harry/Ginny.


**A/N: Well, this is my first try at Harry Potter fanfic, but I hope you like it. The story is set post-book seven, but before that book's epilogue. It uses the characters from the epilogue.**

**So, read and review.**

September had never felt so lonely before. Harry sighed, wishing wistfully that his remaining two children could be just a bit louder to cover up James's absence. But no, Lily had come down with a cold overnight, one Ginny was having trouble remedying, and Albus was playing quietly on his own.

He glanced down again at the photo album resting precariously on his lap, and then out the window at the overcast sky. The picture it was opened to was in no way recent, almost ten years old, in fact. It showed a nearly twelve month-old James, already with an unruly shock of thick hair, with his ecstatic mother. Harry could remember taking the photograph with surprising clarity. James had snatched a lock of Ginny's flaming hair that night, and the babe had refused to let go until she rocked him to sleep.

Harry's bedroom door creaked open slowly, and he looked over to see Albus peering in hesitantly.

"Dad? I'm bored."

"Honestly, Al, can't you find _something_ to do with yourself? Go outside and practice Quidditch or clean your room."

"Yeah," Albus said, shoulders slumping dejectedly. "Yeah, I'll do that." He turned to leave, pulling the door shut behind him.

A twinge of guilt struck Harry, and he called out, "Wait, son."

Albus halted, spinning around instantly with an eager light in his eyes. "Yeah, Dad?"

Harry suppressed an urge to roll his eyes, not quite feeling up to entertaining a ten year-old. Still, James wasn't his only son. He couldn't very well mope around and forget his middle child; he recalled hearing Ron gripe about his own older brothers getting more attention.

"Have you ever seen an Invisibility Cloak?" Harry asked, knowing he had never told his children about his own, rather unique Cloak.

Albus's yes widened; he was apparently considerably impressed. "Do you have one, Dad? Uncle Ron told us they could make it so you weren't really there at all."

Harry chuckled. "Uncle Ron likes to exaggerate." He stretched and stood up, placing the photo album carefully on the bed.

"Where do you keep it?" Albus questioned excitedly.

Harry looked him sternly in the eye. "That's a secret, young man. Imagine what your mother would do to me if you started running around invisible. Now close your eyes. No peeking!"

Albus looked suitably abashed.

Resisting an urge to smirk, Harry pulled the Cloak from his and Ginny's closet.

"You can open them now."

Enthusiastically, Albus did so, and then gazed doubtfully at his father. "Er… Dad, that looks like one of Mum's nightgowns."

Wincing at his mistake, Harry tossed the garment aside. "So it is. Close your eyes again."

He tried again, his hand rummaging pointlessly through robes and Muggle clothing until he felt the familiar cool, smooth touch of his inherited Deathly Hallow, the Invisibility Cloak.

"Here it is."

His son still seemed uncertain. "Are you sure that thing makes people invisible? It looks so _old_."

"'Course I'm sure," Harry said, and threw the Cloak over them. He had to bend down slightly to keep all four feet covered, but it was well worth it for the look of amazement on Albus's face.

"So, what should we do now?" Harry asked. A vague feeling of alarm washed over him when an all-to-familiar mischievous grin that would have rivaled one of George's own flashed on his son's face.

"Can we sneak up on Mum and Lily?"

Harry considered it for a moment. It _would_ be rather fun…

"Fine. Are they still in Lil's room?"

Albus nodded, and father and son padded out into the hallway. They approached the door to the youngest Potter's room silently. The muffled sound of Ginny's calm, even voice drifted past the cracked-open door to meet them.

Harry pulled the door open slowly. Ginny looked up from where she read _The Tales of Beedle the Bard_ sharply, hand flying to her wand before she decided the wind coming through the open window must have done it.

She relaxed and told Lily she would take care of it. Handing the open book to her daughter, who valiantly did her best not to sneeze on it, Ginny walked briskly to the door and pulled it firmly shut. Seeing the perfect opportunity, Harry wrapped his arms tight around her from behind, the Cloak slipping off him and Albus as he did so. His son shouted as scarily as he could simultaneously.

Harry's wife leaped into the air with a startled yelp. She whirled around, eyes blazing as bright as her hair as they fell upon a grinning Harry.

"Harry James Potter, if you ever do that again, I'll-"

Laughing, Harry pulled her into a kiss, despite his children's disgusted protests. How could he have ever been gloomy when he had a family like this?


End file.
